Robitussin, Strepsils, and National Geographic?

So, being sick stinks and I've been sick for the past 4 days. The one good thing about it though is getting to watch as many reruns on TV as I please without getting any grief about it. One of the reruns I caught the other day on the National Geographic Channel was on a project called Scrap House. It's an old project from 2005's Earth Day but I thought it worth mentioning because it brings up a lot of important issues which still loom over our heads today -- reusing our existing resources (like TrunkSale!). Every bit of the house was made from scrap found at the dump or donated by builders. Some of the more interesting bits include a traffic lens chandelier, door floor, and phone books used for insulation and acoustics. Here's a great video on the project.

Aside from the project itself, the National Geographic documentary also brought to light some interesting social dynamics. There were the designers and the contractors and everyone in between. Everything was strained from the get go. There was a lack of communication but most of all, respect between the designers and the contractors. As a designer, I wonder if we will ever be able to break the stereotypes and biases create chasms between different working classes.

Old street signs and scrap sheeting make up the exterior panels of the house.

The traffic light chandelier from above with a leather scrap floor below.

The door floor filled with concrete and the phone book wall.

Glass and metal sheeting donated by Building REsource.

Luxury Brands + Social Responsibility?

This report, published by the WWF-UK on the role of luxury brands and social responsibility is an interesting look into how slow-moving this high-end market has been to catch up with the sustainability movement. There's a downloadable version of the report on the Deeper Luxury website that includes rankings of the various brands included in the study but also an argument for why this market segment should change its ways not merely because it would be the right thing to do (no one would listen to that) but because it would mean better business for them.

An element of this report which I think is great is the one concerning the role of celebrities in enforcing social responsibility. It's a point which I don't think has been stressed enough in our media/paparazzi/Britney crazed world. Celebrities are in a position to shift views and force change, so why aren't they doing it more often? Why are they still clad in diamonds, fur, and driving SUVs? Why do we (the public) let them get away with it? They could greatly benefit and implement positive change if they tried.